Dale Benson Christensen

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KW4T-3XV
• Initiatory (LDS): 16 Dec 1942, SLAKE

Notes:

Obituary:
BLACKFOOT - Louis V. Christensen passed away peacefully on March 18, 201 1 .

He was the oldest son of Victor August and Elizabeth (Lucille) Perkins C h ristensen, born October 1, 1922.

He married his high school sweetheart, Nellie Lou Benson on December 1 6 , 1942.

Louis lived a full and active life. His parents taught him to work a s a c hild. For many years, he worked a full-time job, a part-time job an d serv ed in the Idaho National Guard. He cut meat in markets in Preston , Rexbur g, and Pocatello, Idaho, including IGA, Safeway, Ward's Market a nd Frazie r's Market. He was well-liked by co-workers and customers.

Louis changed careers in mid-life. He drove truck for Wycoff for five ye a rs and spent 19 years as a postal clerk for the U.S. Postal Service. H e s erved in the Idaho National Guard for 27 years.

He planted large vegetable gardens and beautiful roses in the flower be d s surrounding the house. He spent hours caring for his roses.

Louis enjoyed skiing with his sons, Mike, Dave and Kelly. He took sons D e an and Louis fishing.

Louis is survived by his daughter, Kathleen C. Benedict, Salt Lake Cit y , Utah; sons, Dale B. (Sherry), Logan, Utah, Mike B. (Susan), Brigham C it y, Utah, Dean B., Salt Lake City, Utah, David B., Pocatello, Idaho, Lo ui s B., Denver, Colo.; his daughter-in-law, Cherie, Pocatello, Idaho; hi s b rother, LuDean P., West Palm Beach, Fla.; sisters, Charlotte Maxwel l (Geo rge), Salt Lake City, Utah, Carol Callahan (Bill), Tucson, Ariz. ; 19 gran dchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death b y his pare nts, his wife, Nellie Lou, sons, Frank B. and Kelly B., and hi s brother , Dale P. Christensen.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 26, 2011, at 11 a.m. at t h e Manning-Wheatley Funeral home, 510 North 12th Avenue, Pocatello, Idah o . The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. prior to services. Interme n t will be in the Logan City Cemetery, Logan, Utah, following services.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Manning-Wheatley Funeral Chap e l. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.manningwheatleyf un eralchapel.com.

Louis married Nellie Louisa Benson on 16 Dec 1942 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Nellie (daughter of Frank Taft Benson and Elizabeth Greaves "Lillie" Eames) was born on 11 Sep 1923 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States; died on 11 Oct 1975 in Pocatello, Bannock, Idaho, United States; was buried on 14 Oct 1975 in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KW4T-3XK
• Initiatory (LDS): 16 Dec 1942, SLAKE

Notes:

Death: U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCY-R6M
• Initiatory (LDS): 19 Nov 2003, OAKLA

Victor married Elizabeth Lucille Minnerly Perkins on 14 Dec 1921 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States. Elizabeth was born on 24 Jun 1902 in Wellsville, Cache, Utah, United States; died on 5 Jul 1984 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States; was buried on 10 Jul 1984 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Initiatory (LDS): SLAKE
• FamilySearch ID: KWDQ-WCM

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCN-V5T
• Census: 1900, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States
• Initiatory (LDS): 27 Sep 1905, LOGAN
• Census: 1910, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States
• Census: 1920, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

From Kaye F. Nelson genealogy sheet.

Frankie Nelson Whipple Memories:
Papa Frank

"Papa wasn't much of a farmer."

When one of his daughters speaks of 'Papa" it is almost with reverenc e . He was a man who sang, and danced, and built toys for little ones. H e h ad a strong, rich voice and sang in the church choir. He sang at fami ly p arties and other gatherings. Some days he would come in from milkin g sing ing, "La..La..La..Lillie, b..b..b.. beautiful Lillie, You're the o nly gir l that I adore..." On days when he should perhaps have been in th e field s plowing, he would instead be on hands and knees scrubbing the f loors s o Grandma wouldn't have to. He made a family joke about Birthingt on's Was hday, the day when he could be found muscling the handle that ma de the an cient washer churn. And he would sing as he worked.

"We always had a big tree for Christmas."

Farm families created their own fun for holidays. Grandma made her Chri s tmas ornaments from walnut shells, glued together after the meat was ta ke n out. She circled each in lace then painted them gold. And the famil y al ways strung popcorn and cranberries for the tree. But the real magi c cam e from the candles. Papa placed tiny candles in holders all over th e tree . Then when the moment was right he would light them all, just fo r a fe w minutes before he and the children scrambled to blow them al l o ut. Bu t for a few minutes at Christmas the candles twinkled on the tre e and ref lected in the wide eyes of his children.

"Papa built things; oh, he was good at building things."

What Papa may have lacked in desire and ability as a farmer he more th a n made up for in woodworking skills. He built a fence and gates for th e h ouse that were works of art. And his children played on the teeter- t otte r and other toys he made for them.

"I don't remember if they kissed, but I'm sure they did."

There is little doubt that Papa loved Grandma. On cold nights he wou l d go to bed before she did, lying on her side of the bed to get it war m b efore she came in. Then he would move to the cold side to make room f or h er.
Papa's love for Grandma was easy and natural. When they drove anywher e h is arm just went around her. His affection was so open that his chil dre n did not even think about it. It was just there. The family lost th e far m and was forced to move to Logan. Grandma didn't want to leave, sh e wa s sad, but they drove to Logan with Papa's arm around her and sayin g to h er gently, "Lillie, we'll be back."

Frank married Elizabeth Greaves "Lillie" Eames on 27 Jan 1909 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States. Elizabeth (daughter of David Cullen Eames and Elizabeth Cluley Greaves) was born on 6 Jun 1884 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; died on 28 Dec 1966 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; was buried on 31 Dec 1966 in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWZS-WCR
• Initiatory (LDS): 27 Jan 1909, LOGAN
• Census: 1910, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States
• Census: 1920, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

Death: Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014

Frankie Nelson Whipple's Memories:

ELIZABETH EAMES BENSON (Lillie)

No one ever had a better Grandmother than mine was. She was a hug you , t alk to you, give you a cookie grandmother. She kept a drawer full o f odd s and ends of jewelry and other treasures to be played with and sh e alway s had a new set of kittens to be cuddled. She made each one of he r grandc hildren think that they were her favorite.
Grandmother was born Elizabeth Eames in Preston, Idaho in 1895. She w a s born to farm people and spent all of her growing up years on a farm . Sh e married a farmer and expected to live all of her life as a farmer' s wif e. But the world was not kind to grandmother and she lost first a s on, th en her husband to illnesses. After grandpa died, she moved with he r famil y into a drafty old house in the small town of Preston. There sh e raise d her five daughters and one remaining son.
Grandmother was a religious person. When we visited we were called t o p rayers on our knees before every meal, at bedtime, and in the morning . Sh e spoke of Jesus as if He were with us every moment. He seemed to b e he r personal friend. We really enjoyed going to church with her, becau se sh e sang the hymns with such enthusiasm that we could hardly keep fro m laug hing. Then after meetings she would tease us into retelling what w e had h eard, always with ice cream waiting as a reward for having listen ed.
Grandmother liked having her family around her. It was a great occasi o n when we all got together for Thanksgiving or Christmas. My cousins a n d I would explore closets and corners of the house, play on her old pu m p organ on the stair landing, or make nuisances of ourselves in the kit ch en while she prepared meals. We were allowed to eat before the grown-u p s so we would stay out of their way during dinner and after-dinner conv er sation. But we didn't mind. We could hide on the stairs and listen t o eve rything that was said in the kitchen. I'm sure grandmother knew w e were t here, but she never shooed us away.
I never had a birthday go by without a gift from grand-mother. Even wh e n I was grown she went me little books with a dollar tucked inside. I r em ember when she was very old her book of birthdays disappeared. I'm sur e o ne of her daughters took it to keep her from spending what little mon ey s he had on gifts for all of her large family, but she worried about i t an d fussed for months. It seemed to me a mean thing to have done to he r. Bu t I was not consulted.
My grandmother died at the age of 83. She had become so old that she sc a rcely recognized her family. But even then she talked to me and asked h o w I was doing. She laughed and sang and seemed like a fairy-godmothe r . I cried at her funeral, and cry still when I think how much I miss he r.


Grandma's Kitchen

"She could make a third of a pound of hamburger go further than anyo n e I know."

No family member ever went into Grandma's home without eating. Her kitc h en was large, a friendly place, with fresh oilcloth on the round oa k t a b le and home-canned fruits, jams, bread, vegetables bottled from t he sum mer harvest, and love sprinkled liberally around. She bustled whe n someon e came in. Cupboards would be opened, dishes set about, bottle s fetched f rom the pantry.

"'You mustn't get fleshy,' she said, but she fed us whenever we came in t o the house."

The kitchen was the center of everything good about coming to Grandma' s . Even before she had the modern conveniences of an electric range an d re frigerator, the coal burning stove spread its warmth into arms and l egs c hilled by the long trek from icy upstairs bedrooms. She was first u p in t he mornings and lighted a fire in its black belly, then set wate r to boi l for porridge. We often pulled a chair up close to the stove an d toaste d our fingers near its sides. By the time we were warmed enoug h to wash a nd dress the table would be set.

"And she used to make a pudding that was called Blue Mange Pudding. Th a t was the best stuff in the world. And she made a little sauce that was .. .wonderful."

We could not just eat in the mornings; prayer was an integral part of e v ery meal. Morning prayers were especially important as they prepa r e d u s for the coming day. We would kneel on the hard, cold floor, fo r t he stove seldom warmed anything below our knees, and bow our heads re vere ntly over the seats of the kitchen chairs, enduring a long, devout s uppli cation. Grandma was profuse in her gratitude to the Lord for her bl essing s, and she pleaded with Him earnestly that we might all be calle d to repe ntance. Mostly we children prayed for prayers to end that we mi ght get ba re knees off the chilly linoleum.
Grandma kept one drawer in the china cabinet that we girls loved to exp l ore. It held old lipsticks, pieces of ribbon, an assortment of earring s , most without partners, pencils, and other tiny treasures begging t o b e played with. If the kitchen was not being used we could pull the dr awe r out onto the floor and explore its contents, but mostly we had to s tan d at the cabinet and take things out one at a time. When the family w as g athered for a holiday, we were rudely shooed out of the kitchen an d had t o leave the drawer behind.

"I remember Thanksgiving with all the family gathered around the table."

Grandma's kitchen became everything good in the world at Thanksgiving . I t was crowded with aunts, all stirring, opening, basting, and scoldin g ch ildren for getting underfoot. Wonderful smells beckoned us even as w e wer e fussed at to leave. We would hang about in the doorways savorin g the od ors of roast turkey, hot parker house rolls, saged-dressing, an d pumpki n pie. If we could sneak in at the right moment we might snitc h a bit o f dressing or a finger of jelly, but we were soon discovered an d scoote d out. When one of the men wandered in, he was just as rudely di smissed . Sometimes we would give up and crawl on an uncle's lap, listeni ng to ma n-talk while the women laughed and chattered in the kitchen.

"It seemed like we got everyone there, around the table, all the aunt s a nd uncles and cousins."

Every corner of the house seemed to be full of children at these time s . Those of us who were older tried to find a moment of privacy for girl -s ecrets, while the little ones followed us and cried when we shoved the m a way. We would often stand on the stair landing, playing the old pum p orga n that rested there. We managed to make delicious noise until some one yel led at us in exasperation to stop.

"She'd get new oilcloth to put on the table and it was a special occasi o n."

Finally the table would be Ready. The children were allowed to eat firs t , self-preservation for the adults. We gathered at the table and sampl e d each of the dishes so carefully prepared for us, while trying to kee p t rack of all the goings on around us. Aunts and conversations moved in to t he living room leaving just Grandma to fuss over us. Somehow eatin g the m eal was not as much fun as snitching bits before it was done. Bu t we di d our best to eat to popping stage, then we were bustled out of t he kitch en to allow the grown-ups to have their meal. We seldom left the m in peac e; their laughter was like a magnet, and there was always roo m for one mo re piece of turkey from Mama's plate. True joy was the yea r that we girl s were considered old enough to join the grown-ups. We fin ally became pri vy to all the gossip that a scattered family brings to su ch a gathering.

"It was a special occasion whenever she got anything new. She never h a d much, but she'd save."

On early visits I watched Grandma lifting first one and then the othe r h eavy flat iron from the stove where it had been heating to iron her w hit e blouse. It seemed quaint and clever to press clothing without usin g ele ctricity. Like watching the coal flame and burn as she fed the stov e on c old mornings, I felt a kind of magic about the heavy flat irons . I doub t that Grandma appreciated the magic. I remember the celebratio n when th e coal stove was replaced with gleaming white electric range. T he famil y oooh'ed and aah'd, but I was wistful. There was an intimacy i n the shiv ering anticipation as I watched Grandma start the morning fire .


One of my all-time favorite people was my Grandma Benson. She was born E l izabeth Greaves Eames on June 6, 1884 in Logan, Utah, to David Cullen E am es and Elizabeth Cluley Greaves. Grandma was a tiny person growing t o a h eight of 4’11” and weighing only 99 pounds for most of her life. Sh e wa s very pretty. We have a photo of her on the day she reigned as Quee n o f the Harvest Ball. She was wearing a homemade silver crown and carry in g a homemade staff. By today’s standards, the staff and crown look qui t e funny, but she was beautiful.

Grandma moved with her family to Preston, Idaho when she was a small chi l d. While she was in elementary school, she met her future husband, Fra n k Taft Benson. From her diary, it is clear that she was smitten by hi m fr om the time they met in elementary school. In many ways, they were o pposi tes. While both of them were strikingly good-looking, Grandpa Benso n wa s very tall (over 6 feet), muscular, with a dark complexion, and ver y out going. In contrast, Grandma Benson was tiny, with a light complexio n, qui et, and very refined. My mother said that they were deeply in lov e with e ach other and had a great love affair all the years of their mar riage.

My mother was particularly proud of her father. He served in the bishopr i c of their large ward most of the years of their marriage. Mother sai d h e was very good-looking and everyone loved him. It was Grandpa Benso n wh o used to sing “Have I Done Any Good in the World Today” every eveni ng wi th his family in his home.

Grandpa Benson was a farmer and cattle trader so the family lived on a f a rm in the country nearly all of Grandpa and Grandma’s married life. Th e y had a large family. My mother, Carmen, and her twin brother, Harold , we re Grandma’s second pregnancy. Grandma Benson, being such a tiny per son , had a difficult time carrying the twins. She became so large durin g he r pregnancy that she couldn’t sit down. The only two possible positi ons f or her were standing and lying down. She went into labor with the t wins d uring a blizzard on November 4, 1911. Grandpa brought a neighborin g woma n to the house to watch Grandma while he traveled through the heav y sno w to get a doctor. The storm was so bad that Grandpa didn’t retur n for ho urs. In the meantime, Grandma delivered her twin babies, Carme n and Harol d, with the help of the neighbor. The babies weighed 8 poun d s and 9 poun ds, respectively. My tiny 99 pound grandmother had carrie d 17 pounds of b abies and delivered them at home without the help of a d octor. When the d octor finally arrived, he and my grandfather found Gran dma Benson and th e twins well and safe.

Mother spoke often of the happy, almost idyllic life they led on the fa r m for the next several years. The children had a pony named Topsy tha t th ey rode to school, often with as many as three or four children on t he ba ck of the small horse. Topsy used to love to run and Mother said i t was n ot uncommon for all three or four children to slide from the hors es bac k as he thundered around the corner and down the lane to their hom e.

There was a recession in the farming industry in the early 1920s. By t h e fall of 1922, things had become so difficult that Grandpa Benson cou l d not keep up with the debt on his farm, and the property was foreclose d . Grandpa and Grandma Benson moved their family of four girls and two b oy s to Logan, Utah where the family of eight lived with Grandpa Benson’ s br other, Surge. Grandpa Benson, who had been a farmer all of his life , work ed for Uncle Surge in his butcher shop in order to support his fam ily.

In December, 1922, just two months after arriving in Logan, Grandma Bens o n’s youngest Child, Frank, became ill and died of the flu. She was so h ea rtsick at the loss of her Child that there were no Christmas decoratio n s in the house that Christmas. Two months later, in February, 1923, Gra nd pa Benson suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while dressing for work one m orn ing. He died later that day. My mother was 11 years old at the time . Sh e remembers Grandma sitting next to the coffin holding my grandfathe r’s b ody late at night after the children were in bed, caressing his bod y an d weeping. She had not told Grandpa Benson, but she was two months p regna nt with my Aunt Nellie Lou. In the space of four months, Grandma Be nson h ad lost her home, her two-year-old baby boy, and her husband.

After burying Grandpa Benson, Grandma moved to a small home in Preston w h ere she found work as a clerk in a store. Seven months later, Grandma g av e birth to little Nellie Lou. Mother remembers Grandma Benson callin g ou t her husband’s name as she struggled through the delivery of thei r bab y girl.

Upon returning to work, her employer allowed Grandma Benson to bring t h e baby with her in a buggy to the store so she could watch the baby whi l e she worked. My Aunt Nellie Lou told me that she always believed my mo th er was the most beautiful woman in the world because she would stand i n h er baby carriage and watch through the window for my mother’s face. S eein g mom come to pick her up, was the grand highlight of Aunt Nellie Lo u’s d ay as a toddler.

Grandma Benson worked incredibly hard to support her family of six child r en. She was very independent and determined to care for her family with ou t taking charity from anyone. Mother told me the story of one Christma s w hen there was not enough money for presents for the children. The Bis ho p in the ward had a large basket of fruit and food delivered to Grandm a’ s home, and left on the front porch. When the children discovered th e bas ket, they were thrilled. Grandma, however, would not allow the chil dren t o bring the basket into the house. Instead, she called the Bisho p and ask ed that he come and pick it up and deliver it to someone who re ally neede d it. While her strength and determination were exemplary an d remarkable , that determination probably went beyond the mark on this p articular occ asion.

I was born when Grandma was already 62 years old. She continued to wor k w ell into her 70s, never accepting charity from anyone as she raised h er s ix children.

The last great tragedy in Grandma Benson’s life came in the summer of 19 4 8. Her son, Harold, the only remaining male member in her family, die d i n an airplane crash while he was piloting a plane on a search and res cu e mission. Mother said that Grandma Benson was never the same after th at . My little brother was born a month after Uncle Harold’s death. Mom n ame d my brother Harold Benson after her twin.

Grandma Benson told her daughters that the greatest pain a mother can su f fer is the loss of a Child. She told them that she prayed daily that no n e of her children would ever have a Child precede them in death. My mot he r and all of her sisters have now passed from this life. Among them, t he y had 28 children. None of those children died before their mother.

Grandma Benson kept a diary. In it she recorded both the major events a n d the day-to-day activities of her life. It was inspiring to read the d ia ry and note the number of entries in which she characterized the littl e d aily events in her life as being “grand”, a word she used repeatedly . I t was clear from her diary that she had great faith in the Lord, an d sh e loved the church. After the death of her son, Harold, she fell int o a g reat sadness. She never told us about the event that we found recor ded i n her diary. We only learned about it after her death. But, in th e diar y she records going to bed one evening feeling overwhelming sadnes s at th e loss of her husband and her two sons. The pain was almost mor e than sh e could bear. And then she recorded that a light came into th e room. Th e Savior appeared to her, comforted her, and assured her tha t things woul d be well for her and her family.

My recollections of Grandma Benson are of a tiny, kind, perfectly gracio u s and proper person. In all the years I knew her, I can never remembe r he r saying an unkind word about or to anyone or using even a remotel y inapp ropriate word. She was as good and as pure and as kind as any per son I ha ve ever known. And, for a 4’11”, 99 pound person she was the str ongest wo man I have ever met.

I REMEMBER LILLIE

by Ilah Eames Carpenter

I am the youngest of four brothers and three sisters. Memories of my bro t hers and sisters are very precious. David the eldest, Sadie, was 20 yea r s older than me and Lillie, was 18 years older. Lillie’s birthday was v er y close to mine. She was 18 on June 6 and I was born two days later o n Ju ne 8th. She told me many times that she had to stay home from churc h tha t day because mother had a little sister and I don’t think it mad e her to o happy. My next sister May, was 16 years older than me and the n three br others Ariel, Nathaniel and Leland were born and seven years l ater I cam e along. My memories of family are as the little sister and o f my brothe rs and sisters and how they played with me and made over me a nd they wer e very precious memories. Because this is to be about Lillie , I will jus t talk about the girls this morning. My three sisters were v ery close . I can remember my three sisters when they got together year s later sitt ing on the couch and reminiscing about life on the farm. The y had so muc h fun that I wondered why I came along after, my sisters wer e born, growi ng up with those three boys I became such a tomboy.

Our home was two and a half miles north of Preston. We nearly came to li v e in Rexburg. I had an Aunt Kate Greaves and she and her husband decid e d to make her home in Preston. When mother and daddy got to Preston, th e y liked it and built their home right across the street the street fro m A unt Kate’s home This was tow and a half miles outside of Preston. Thi s i s where we all grew up and thank goodness the home is still in the fa mily , operated by one of Ariel’s sons.

I have no memories of Sadie being at home at all. She married Arthur Tib b ets but they had a home in town and I have wonderful memories of spendi n g time, not only at their home in Preston but at their home in Driggs w he re they moved later on and at their home in Pocatello, Idaho. May marr ie d Ray Gledhill. He was a doctor and they moved to Richfield, Utah. I h av e wonderful memories of spending time in Richfield with my sister May.

Well, the first memories I have of Lillie, I suppose I was about three y e ars old. You know out on the farm, the roads were not too good and in t h e winter it was muddy and cold and we had to ride in the buggy or in t h e sleigh. Dad was always anxious for us to have a good education and th e y felt sorry that they had to live so far out of town. So Lillie was wo rk ing at the Marrom store in Preston. The Marrom store was one of the re all y fine stores in Preston. May was going to school so instead of trave lin g back and forth, she and Lillie rented a little apartment in town. N ow t his was about two blocks north of town, it used to be Henderson’s ho me. U pstairs the girls rented a couple of rooms and there was a balcony . My fi rst memories of Lillie and May would be when daddy and mother wou ld com e in the buggy or in the sleigh and we would come down to bring th e gir l s goodies from the farm. They were usually waiting out on the bal cony a nd I thought that balcony was about the most wonderful thing you c ould im agine. I remember scrambling up the stairs and we were so glad t o see eac h other and then Lillie would take me down to Marrom’ s store . I though t that was the most wonderful place, I was fascinated watchin g her measur e off material for the customers at the store.

Each fourth of July, we used to have a big celebration in Preston. The r e was red white and blue bunting on all the buggies and stores. They h a d a big program in the Opera House and each store would have a float a n d they would elect a goddess of liberty. One year my sister Lillie wa s el ected to be the Goddess of Liberty representing Marrom’s store. Thi s wa s about the most important thing that happened in my life as a littl e gir l. I remember there was a hayrack and it was all decorated with bun ting a nd pulled by horses and Lillie and her two attendants sitting on t his ha y rack and she was all dressed up with a crown on her head and a s taff i n her hand and a beautiful dress and they paraded down main stree t and th e n they went to the opera house and had the program. I was th e proudes t little sister that you could ever imagine and I dreamed of so meday bein g a goddess of liberty, but that never happened to me.

The next memory I have of Lillie was when she got married. Mother ha d a r eception out on the farm for friends and for the Benson family. I l oved F rank, he made a lot out of his little sister. The Bensons were jus t extr a special. Mother Benson was such a pretty woman and the Benson gi rls wer e just out of this world, Jenny and Kinney especially. I remembe r the tab le in the dining room and of course it was loaded with goodie s and in th e parlor where all these little tables with all these beautif ul gifts o n and the gifts that appealed to me most were the beautiful di shes. Old f ashioned dishes were really beautiful and Lillie had many o f them. I hop e her daughters have kept them because they were beautiful . I remember wa ndering around and getting acquainted with the Bensons an d seeing al l th e beautiful things that were brought to Lillie and Fran k that night.

As I remember, Frank and Lillie lived in Whitney after they were marrie d . I can’t remember exactly where but I went to visit them quite often a n d we always went to grandfather and grandmother’s farm. I loved that o l d home. It was just intriguing and the flowers were beautiful. I cam e t o love grandmother Benson, she was a darling. Then I think they move d som ewhere in Whitney, I can’t just remember where, but they were livin g ther e when Gladys was born at our home and of course if there was a ba by bor n on our street, mother and Aunt Kate always came. That night I ha d to sl eep upstairs with Leland while Gladys was coming to town and he w ould mak e me run down the stairs every-once-in-a-while and look throug h the trans om to see if the baby had arrived. I wasn’t too excited abou t this baby , she was really making my sister sick and I wasn’t very happ y about that .

I remember when they lived up the street about two blocks on the old fa r m and that’s where the twins were born. That was about the biggest eve n t that ever happened. I never knew of anyone in our family having twin s b efore. When Lillie had twins, Carmen and Harold, that was just someth in g else again. As time went on and I became a little older, I started t o b e a babysitter. Lillie and Frank moved down to what they called the S an d Crest farm. That was just a great little farm. I have wonderful memo rie s of being there. The wonderful things the raised especially Frank’ s wate rmelons. They were the biggest and the best anywhere. They were gr own i n a sandy area that had plenty of sunshine. The railroad tracks ra n not f ar from them and I remember the silo’s Frank built to store the c attle in . I used to go down and help with the children so I would have c hildren t o grow up with. Mother always seemed to be sorry that I did no t have chil dren to grow up with. Lillie had me help her which gave m e a feeling of b eing their Child. I got to go to the Sand Crest farm rea l often and I lov ed it. I remember Gladys telling that I used to get fri ghtened sometime s because the farm was close to the railroad tracks an d I was afraid of t ramps. I would wake her up and tell her stories to ke ep he r awake so I w ouldn’t be frightened. Every Sunday at our home on t he farm used to be fa mily day. After church everyone would bring somethi ng out to the farm, Fr ank always brought his great big watermelons. It w as just such fun havin g everyone come home on Sunday. I always looked fo rward to Sunday.

I remember Lillie being on the board of the Mutual and I was so prou d o f her, that sounded just something important to be on that board wit h tho se lovely women. Many, many times I had the privilege of going to c hurc h with her. She had to take Gladys and I came along to babysit. I ca n se e these women sitting around the table in their white blouses with t he hi gh collars and the long sleeves and lace and their pretty skirts . I thoug ht they were just about the prettiest woman I had ever seen. Li llie alway s took her responsibilities very seriously. Whatever she did , she alway s did it with her whole heart.

She was on the board for many, many years. When June conference came ar o und, I was a lucky gal because I came with her so that I could babysit . M y memories of coming to June conference with Lillie were just out o f thi s world. Sometimes we stayed at a hotel, the little hotel just sout h of t he Tribune Building. Of course we always brought food from home. W e cam e on the train at Preston when the train stopped at Brigham, ther e were a lways people out selling food there. Strawberries at strawberr y time an d peaches. Once or twice we stayed at one of Frank’s sisters . I think he r name was Elise Alder if I remember right. I remember playi ng out on th e front lawn and the perfume of those June roses I will neve r forget.

Aunt Elise had a cafeteria downtown and that was a fun place. We didn’ t g et to go there for every meal but once Lillie took me to Aunt Elise’ s caf eteria. I had this big bowl of grape-nuts with sugar and cream on i t. I s tarted eating them and the more I ate, the fuller I got. Our famil y was a lways taught to clean up their plates and Lillie kept saying, wel l we can ’t go, we can’t go until you finish your grape-nuts and I can re m embe r I ate and ate grape-nuts until I could hardly stand it. I don’ t thin k I had any for many, many years after that.

We used to sometimes go down to Richfield. May was living there then . W e would get on the train and go down to Richfield and have a visit wi th M ay. Lillie and Frank spent most of their vacations at Bear Lake. The y wou ld get in their big white top buggy and pitch a tent and we would s tay th ere for several days and I remember times they took me with them a nd tha t was real fun. One night I remember a terrible thunder storm, Fra nk an d Lillie got us all in one tent with their arms around us. When th e thund er storm was all over we all went to sleep.

In 1918 when the war was on and my brother Nathaniel was called into t h e army, the whole family decided they would go up to Yellowstone and ha v e a reunion before Nathaniel had to leave for the service. Lillie was p re gnant, I think with Zenda. There were five of sisters-in-law who wer e pre gnant and were all going on this trip, Ariel and Edna and family, E dna wa s expecting Vita and May and Ray came from Richfield and then an a unt an d uncle, Uncle Will Greaves, went with us and then of course Natha niel, M other and Dad and Me. When we got to Driggs, we stayed there unti l Sadi e and Arthur met us and then we went on to Yellowstone. Anyway, th e thin g I remember about this trip was that Lillie was such fun, even th ough sh e was pregnant, she was the life of the party. We‘d camp, we pu t the car s around in a circle and put the beds inside and built a big bo nfire to k eep the bears away which didn’t always work, two or three time s the bear s came in hunting food. Lillie was the one in my memory that s eemed to ha ve the most fun and did the most fun things. When we came bac k to Drigg s going over that big mountain between Driggs and Yellowstone , the cars s talled and we had to have each one pulled up over the mounta in. It was re ally just a great trip.

Frank had this little Ford that didn’t have any sides on it and they us e d to put diapers to dry on the side of the car as they drove along. Fra n k kept laughing about his tires that had baloney in them. Our tires ha d t o be pumped up but Frank had one up on us, he had these tires with ba lone y in them so they never had to be blown up. They were just hard rubb er o f course. That was really a delightful trip for everybody and I thi n k th ere were several snap shots of that trip.

Time went on and Lillie had her troubles -- real, real tragedies, losi n g her husband and her sons, but you know Lillie was always straight an d h eld her head high and she always had her sense of humor. I was close r t o Lillie for many, many years because Sadie and May lived so far away . I f I had problems, I went and talked them over with Lillie. We spen t many , many hour’s way into the night talking and she always helped m e with th e little problems I needed help with. She used to love to dres s up. She l oved pretty clothes. We would go shopping for hats together , we loved shi pping for hats. She always had such a good outlook regardl ess of the prob lems that she had. She had great faith, she had great pri de in her family . She was so proud of her girls and loved them dearly . I don’t think I ha ve known anyone who had such a capacity or love as L illie did. Lillie lov ed everyone and let us know it. She didn’t keep i t a secret, she told u s that she loved us.

Lillie had a green thumb too. I can never remember being in her home wh e n there were not plants everywhere. Lillie had financial problems so s h e sewed for her children. When used clothes were given to her, she dye d a nd remodeled them. She did everything she could think of to see he r chil dren were given an education and brought up in the church the wa y that sh e knew how to do it. So these are my memories of Lillie a sweet , proud, s traight, lovely person that would be with friends, family an d neighbors a ny time that they needed help.

Notes:

Marriage: Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011, Utah, Select Marriag e s, 1887-1966

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KW66-Z2D
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Initiatory (LDS): 15 Apr 1865, EHOUS
• Census: 1870, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1880, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1900, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States
• Census: 1910, Whitney, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

SOURCE: Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah. Esshom, Frank. 1913 Page: 750

SOURCE: Family Group Sheet-Father

SOURCE: Family Group Sheet-Self

SOURCE: Temple Index Bureau

SOURCE: Whitney Ward Records--Preston, ID

SOURCE: Journal of Elise Benson Alder

George was a Sunday school superintendent, high counselor, and counsel o r in the bishopric.

George was the bishop of Whitney for 20 years.

SOURCE: Death Certificates, State of Utah
Occupation: Farmer

Pioneer
Charles C. Rich Company (1847) Age at departure: 1
126 individuals were in the company when it began its journey from t h e o u tfitting post on the Elkhorn River about 27 miles west of Winte r Qu arte rs, Nebraska

George married Louisa Alexandrine Ballif on 20 Dec 1867 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Louisa (daughter of Serge Louis Ballif and Elise Marie LeCoultre) was born on 25 Feb 1850 in Lausanne, Vaud, Suisse; died on 7 Feb 1922 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States; was buried on 9 Feb 1922 in Logan City Cemetery, Cache, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: K2QX-47X
• Census: 1860, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Initiatory (LDS): 20 Dec 1867, EHOUS
• Census: 1870, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1880, Logan, Cache, Utah, United States
• Census: 1900, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States
• Census: 1910, Whitney, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

SOURCE: Death Certificates, State of Utah

Pioneer
Robert L. Campbell Company (1854)Approximate age at departure: 4
397 individuals were in the company when it began its journey from the o u tfitting post at Westport, Missouri.

Killed a wolf with a poker.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCD-QW3
• Initiatory (LDS): 4 Jun 1884, LOGAN
• Census: 1910, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States

David married Elizabeth Cluley Greaves on 29 Dec 1877 in Logan, Cache, Utah, United States. Elizabeth (daughter of Joseph Greaves and Sarah Priscilla Cluley) was born on 21 Oct 1856 in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States; died on 5 May 1942 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States; was buried on 8 May 1942 in Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWCD-QWQ
• Initiatory (LDS): 4 Jun 1884, LOGAN
• Census: 1910, Preston, Franklin, Idaho, United States

Notes:

Elizabeth Cluley Greaves was born in a one-room adobe house at Provo, Ut a h on October 21, 1856.
Her family spent several years clearing land near the Provo River for fa r ming.

Then one year the river flooded, completely ruining the farm. This broug h t the family of six to Logan where in late 1862, they lived out of a co ve red wagon while Joseph built a suitable dugout for a winter dwelling.
Four years following their arrival in Logan, the family lost their mom a n d their newborn sixth sister, Mary Ann .

This was truly a time of sorrow and trial for 8-year-old Elizabeth. Sh e w ould take her 2-year-old baby sister from one neighbor to another try in g to keep her from crying for her mother.

When one parent is gone, little children feel the need to draw very clos e ly around the parent who is with them. Joseph, now a widower, was lef t wi th 3 young boys ages 10, 6, and 4, and 2 daughters ages 8 and 2. The y wou ld have required nearly all of his time and attention.

The neighbors offered help, and Joseph was in no position to reject it . W ith Elizabeth taking her baby sister to various neighbors for care, J osep h found his burden bearable. He could occupy the three boys workin g wit h him on the farm.

Joseph's bishop suggested a permanent home for Elizabeth. She would be v e ry helpful in tending younger children and assisting with housework. H e r physical needs would all be satisfied. Joseph may have thought of hi s o wn half-starved childhood as an orphan in England. Here was a chanc e fo r a daughter to be well cared for while she was growing up and learn ing t he art of homemaking. He accepted the offer .

Elizabeth was taken to live in a new home in a different ward four mil e s away. With a one-hour hike separating her from her family, this wa s i n some ways like living in a different community. Unfortunately, Eliz abet h's strong emotional need to be near her father and family was overl ooked . To be pulled away from her family at this time greatly accentuate d he r grief.

While living in the household of Ada Hemingway Davidson, Elizabeth was a l ways kept very busy. Perhaps it was hoped that this would keep her fro m l onging for her family. She did get some schooling, but as recorded b y he r daughter Lillie, she would have to rush home at noon to scrub th e kitch en floor and comb Mrs. Davidson's heavy long hair, leaving no tim e to ea t her dinner.

There were many nights when Elizabeth would cry herself to sleep. She lo n ged for her family; she mourned for her mother. She felt more like a se rv ant than a daughter in this new home .

In later years, when people came to live in her home, they were always t r eated like part of the family.

Three or four years later, when Elizabeth was twelve years old, her fath e r remarried. However, Elizabeth was not invited to come back home to li ve ; we do not know why. Her father's own years of apprenticeship in Engl an d suggest a possible answer. It may not have seemed fair to him that h i s daughter was given board, room, and training for several years and th e n taken back home just as she was becoming useful enough to pay back h e r benefactors. Thus he may have looked upon her service as an indentur e d contract which only time could fill. That Joseph loved his daughter w a s never a point of question. Their separation may have been nearly as h ar d on him as it was on her.

These were pioneering days; these were times for survival. Elizabeth a n d her father both sacrificed, and they both survived!

Elizabeth lived with and served Mrs. Davidson for ten years. Elizabeth w a s a hard worker and was always very useful. She became very skilled i n al l the pioneer homemaking arts. She also worked in the garden and gre w t o love flowers.

Elizabeth kept as close to her family as possible over the years. Five a d ditional children were born to her father and his new wife. These fiv e an d the two daughters from his new wife's previous marriage were love d as m uch by Elizabeth as her original three brothers and sister. Elizab eth's d aughter Lillie was fully grown before she realized that the two g irls fro m the previous marriage were not her mother's own sisters.

Elizabeth's older brother John looked after her welfare. When they wer e o ld enough to go to the dances, John would always first see if Elizabe th h ad someone to go with. He would take her to the dance himself if sh e di d not. Lillie wrote that when John received his first wages for hiri ng ou t on a job, he gave his sister Elizabeth 35 cents. This was the fir st mon ey Elizabeth ever had. She made herself a very pretty dress with t he mate rial purchased from this money.

Elizabeth and her husband, David Eames, were lovers, right from the begi n ning to the end of their lives. Their daughter records she, “never reca l l my parents saying an unkind word to each other”. They had 10 childre n ( Elizabeth was 45 years old when her last child was born .

Elizabeth and her husband were “first” in many things: first to in the i r area to have a telephone, first to have electric lights and first t o ha ve indoor plumbing so they could have a bathroom, a tub, a washbasi n an d a toilet. Their children’s friends used to come down to take a bat h i n their big white tub. Previous to that, Saturday night all the famil y to ok their baths in the round tub in the kitchen.

The family had a big dining room table and Elizabeth always had a table c loth on, ready to feed anyone that ever came. They turned the chairs, t h e back against the table and the seat facing out, and there is where w e k nelt to have our prayer.

Elizabeth Cluley Greaves Eames was a remarkably resourceful woman, by an y one's standard. She was someone often called on when someone was sick , sh e also helped with the babies for miles around. She made her own soa p, sh e'd catch their geese, turn them upside down on her lap and pick th e dow n off from underneath their tummies, put it in a big washtub, the n fill i t into pillows. Elizabeth’s family raised a lot of sheep. She ca rded som e of this wool and made it into nice clean bats and made quilt s she als o knitted long black stockings made from their wool.

Her youngest daughter, Ilah, recalls, “My mother also taught me to lov e a nd visit my family”.

During the last few years of Elizabeth's life, Lillie made the followi n g observation about her: "Mother has worked so very constantly and so h ar d all her life until now at the age of 81 years, she is nervous if sh e si ts without something in her hands to do."

Sources:
David Cullen Eames (B.1851) and Elizabeth Cluley Greaves Family By Ral p h G. McKnight
Our Eames Heritage Transcription of an audiotape made by Ilah Eames Carp e nter to Ralph McKnight Summer of 1983